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Obama Wins Nobel Prize

October 9. 2009

U.S. President Barack Obama has won the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize, formerly awarded to men like Martin Luther King jr. Congrats to the President on the honor.

The Judiciary Report would be remiss, if it did not mention, the controversy surrounding this news, as many people view bestowing Obama the award premature. Below is a sampling of what is being written regarding it:

GOP, even some liberals, dismiss Obama peace prize

October 9, 2009 - 1:00pm - WASHINGTON (AP) - Gee, you'd think a U.S. president who won the Nobel Peace Prize might get rave reviews from his party's activists and polite congrats from top Republicans.

But news of Barack Obama's award Friday drew a rebuke from the Republican Party chairman, ridicule from conservative bloggers, and even gripes from some liberals who think he hasn't done enough to wind down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Top Democrats congratulated Obama, of course, but critics abounded on the left and right.

"What has President Obama actually accomplished?" said Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee.

"It is unfortunate that the president's star power has outshined tireless advocates who have made real achievements working towards peace and human rights."

There was praise from two Democrats who also have won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Former President Jimmy Carter, who won in 2002, called Obama's selection a "bold statement of international support for his vision and commitment."

And former Vice President Al Gore, who won two years ago, said Obama's prize was "extremely well deserved."

"I think that much of what he has accomplished already is going to be far more appreciated in the eyes of history, as it has been by the Nobel committee," Gore said.

And some Republicans had kind words, too. "Under any circumstance an appropriate response is to say congratulations," said Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

But GOP Rep. Gresham Barrett, who is running for governor of South Carolina, mocked Obama's prize. "I'm not sure what the international community loved best; his waffling on Afghanistan, pulling defense missiles out of Eastern Europe, turning his back on freedom fighters in Honduras, coddling Castro, siding with Palestinians against Israel, or almost getting tough on Iran," Barrett said.

Several commentators challenged the value of the Peace Prize, noting that Palestinian President Yasser Arafat shared it in 1994.

"What's Obama done?" asked Rick Moran in his blog on American Thinker, a strong advocate of Israel. "What peace has he negotiated? ... I suppose an organization that thought Yasser Arafat worthy of the same prize can't be taken seriously anyway. But they are."

Erick Erickson, writing on the conservative RedState.com, suggested Obama won in part because he is black.

"I did not realize the Nobel Peace Prize had an affirmative action quota for it, but that is the only thing I can think of for this news," Erickson wrote. "There is no way Barack Obama earned it in the nominations period."

Obama himself said he felt humbled and undeserving, declaring in a Rose Garden statement: "I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments."

http://www.wtop.com

Obama Peace Prize win has some Americans asking why?

Fri Oct 9, 2009 12:47pm EDT - NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama's selection as winner of the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday left many Americans puzzled about why he deserved the honor.

"It would be wonderful if I could think why he won," said Claire Sprague, 82, a retired English professor as she walked her dog in Manhattan's Greenwich Village. "They wanted to give him an honor I guess but I can't think what for."

Hospital worker Itya Silverio, 33, of Brooklyn, said: "My first opinion is that he got it because he's black. What did he do that was so great? He hasn't even finished office yet."

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who won the prize in 2002, said Obama's win showed hope he had inspired globally.

"It is a bold statement of international support for his vision and commitment to peace and harmony in international relations," Carter said in a statement.

Some Americans resented Obama's popularity in Europe and other parts of the world.

"Obama gives speeches trashing his own country and he gets a prize for it," said conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh, who has a wide following.

The peace prize announcement quickly became one of the top discussions on social networking website Twitter. One user commented: "Why not give him the literature prize? At least he's actually written a couple of books."

Political blogger Jon Henke tweeted: "So far, the right, left and media all seem to agree that the Nobel Peace Prize committee just beclowned itself."

"OBAMA WON?"

An online straw poll by MSNBC asked whether Obama deserved the honor. About 62 percent of more than 194,000 answers said no, about 24 percent said yes, while 13 percent said some day, but the award was premature.

"It looks less like an objective award than it does a political endorsement," said William Jelani Cobb, a history professor at Spelman College in Atlanta.

Some people believed the award was political.

"This is the Nobel committee giving Obama the 'you are not George W. Bush' award," said Brian Becker, national coordinator of Act Now To Stop War and End Racism. "Unfortunately Obama is continuing many of the same policies of Bush and is in fact expanding the war in Afghanistan rather than ending it."...

http://www.reuters.com

Obama award sad - NI Nobel winner

Barack Obama at the White House, 7 October 2009

Nobel Peace Prize winner Mairead Corrigan Maguire has criticised the decision to give this year's award to US President Barack Obama.

The Nobel committee said Mr Obama had created a new climate in international politics and made extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy.

However, Mrs Maguire said she was "very sad" to hear of the award.

Mrs Maguire won the 1976 Nobel award along with fellow Belfast peace campaigner Betty Williams.

"President Obama has yet to prove that he will move seriously on the Middle East, that he will end the war in Afghanistan and many other issues," Mrs Maguire said.

"The Nobel committee is not meeting the conditions of Alfred Nobel's will, because he stipulated that the award is to be given to people who end militarism and war and are for disarmament."

But SDLP leader Mark Durkan said the committee "rightly highlights the president's extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples"...

http://news.bbc.co.uk

Most surprised by Obama's Nobel win

WASHINGTON — President Obama received congratulatory messages and some political barbs Friday after learning he'd won the Nobel Peace Prize. But many people said they were simply perplexed that a man who has been in office less than a year could have won one of the world's most prestigious prizes.

"I was stunned," said Aaron David Miller, former Mideast peace negotiator and author of the upcoming book, Can America Have Another Great President? "It really does undermine the notion of excellence and greatness."

Miller guessed that members of the prize committee were demonstrating "their view America is somehow back … after eight years of being lost."...

http://www.usatoday.com

How Obama can earn that Nobel Peace Prize

October 9th, 2009 - The Nobel Committee in Norway says it awarded President Barack Obama the 2009 Peace Prize for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” (Congratulations, Mr. President.) In particular, the committee noted Obama’s multilateral approach on the issues of climate chance and nuclear disarmament.

But where has the president been when it comes to using diplomacy and cooperation to promote global trade, which is essential to global peace and prosperity? Given the infamous role of protectionism in the Great Depression, it’s no surprise that open and expanded trade has been at the core of the post-World War Two economic order, particularly during the past two decades.

The Great Recession, though, has shattered that consensus. An analysis by economists Barry Eichengreen and Kevin O’Rourke has calculated that “world trade is falling much faster now than in 1929-30.” Paul Krugman says trade “has fallen through the floor in a way that it literally never has before, including in the Great Depression.” Global Trade Alert, a trade watchdog group with links to the World Bank, found at least 121 protectionist measures had been implemented by G-20 nations during the past year...

If Obama did all that, not only would he actually be worthy of the Peace Prize, but probably the Nobel Prize for Economics as well.

http://blogs.reuters.com